cochineal slurry
Color Index 4, food color additive E120, CI 75470, "Carmine" Red...all come from one place: the blood of insects. Yep! You heard me. Essentially, to create that "true blood red" most of us consider primary red, you literally need to use blood- the blood of the cochineal insect. Don't worry, it's a parasite that feasts on the Prickly Pear cactus... if that's any consolation ... native to the warm and dry deserts of the Americas (north and south). The insects are ground up to create a sludge of Color Index Number 4, that is then processed and refined and exported to be used in paints, dyes, food color, etc. throughout the world. It was "discovered" in the early 1500s by the Conquistadors on a trip modern-day Mexico and very quickly became a commodity in Europe. Prior to this discovery, Indo-European countries were using the kermes insect's blood to create red - a much weaker concentration - a practice that had been around well before the Middle Ages. In fact, the words "kermes", "crimson" and "carmine" are all derived from the sanskrit name "krim-dja" for this insect and the blood spilled from it to create the color Red.
the cochineal beetle
a crushed cochineal beetle
It isn't unusual then that many cultures throughout the world, associate the color Red with both "life" and "death" as well as "matters of the heart" given the fact that it is created from blood. Red is love, Red is hate. Red is war and anger and power. Red is sex and luck and passion. In short, Red is a Paradox, similar to human existence. So how should and shouldn't it be used in Interior Design...?
That all depends on what you are trying to achieve or NOT achieve. Typically, most people use Red in areas of the home where they want to create "excitement" or "passion" such as bedrooms. It is also believed that painting a room Red will induce appetite and many home-stagers suggest painting kitchens or dining rooms Red. In terms of bathrooms, children's bedrooms, etc. most people stay away from Red color-schemes, as theses places are equated with more "passive" or "restful" places - locations that "Passionate" red would be unwelcome. While I agree with these notions in general, I think it all depends on the person and how much you like the color Red. If you love it, use it! If you hate it, don't!
To quote Fashion Designer Valentino regarding the use of Red ... "Red has guts .... deep, strong, dramatic. A geranium red. A Goya red ... to be used like gold for furnishing a house ... for clothes, it is strong, like black or white."
2 comments:
This color definitely exudes passion. I finally bought myself a red dress
I did not know the full history of red. I thought the story started with blood and not with an insect in the desert. Interesting. I called my favorite color red as a child, but I think it was more because I was so shy and it seemed so dramatic.
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